I'm Here to Help You (Darkiplier x Reader)

Relaxation

The battle in the Arena ends, with similar results as the previous ones: One contestant looked badass and killed someone in a cool way – some guy with one leg beat someone over the head with their own prosthetic limb – but everyone eventually bit the dust.

I blink and we're back at the house sitting on the couch. Realizing that I'm still sitting in his lap, I attempt to squirm away from him slowly. Dark's arms still don't budge as he looks out the window in thought. I clear my throat and he turns to me.

"Can I sit by myself now?" I ask with mild annoyance.

Dark sighs and releases me. I quickly slide onto the couch, sitting beside him. Beginning to swim in my own thoughts, I slip away from reality completely. I'm reminded of the gap in my memory, the one that I just can't see to fill. My arm is placed on the arm of the couch, and my chin rests in my palm. When I finally blink rapidly, realizing that I'd begun to zone out again, I find that Dark's arms are now wrapped around my waist. I turn to him questioningly.

"...Why?"

"Being warm is relaxing, and I can't generate my own body heat, if you hadn't noticed," he states, matter-of-factly.

"Okay, I guess..."

I let him hug me. After a few minutes where I begin to space off again, I'm lifted upward. Instantaneously, Dark and I have switched sides. He leans against the arm of the couch, and I sit in between his legs leaning against his back. The demon's arms are still wrapped securely around my waist. I open my mouth to inquire a reason for the change, but ultimately remain silent, giving up on understanding his odd motives. Instead, I lean back against him, enjoying his cool temperature in the summer heat.

A different question comes to mind: "Why do you usually wear a suit?"

"It's simply a choice. It also adds a minor boost to my charming effect and overall physical appeal. People seem to find it classily attractive," Dark responds.

I mean, you're not wrong, I can't help but think. As Dark chuckles at my response, I can feel the vibrations passing through his chest. The low rumble is comforting, and I feel a sense of serenity wash over me. We remain silent for long after, and I begin to thin of other things again. The fuzzy spot in my mind returns, prompting those odd memories of Dark holding me before.

This time, it's accompanied by a bit more. I remember Dark asking me about something... something about being able to "resist", I think?

Without warning, my mind shifts elsewhere, as if shoved away from its previous thoughts. I blink and focus back on reality for a moment, then go back into my thoughts. This time, I think of my mental state and how vastly it's changed over the time that Dark's been here. It's only been seven or eight days, but it feels like forever – especially because of all the weird time shifts when we go to the arena or when he'd make me black out.

I look over at the analog clock by the tv. 12:57AM. I've been sitting here thinking for about an hour and a half. My thoughts had eventually shifted to Dark, wondering about what I think about him. Speaking of which, the rise and fall of Dark's chest has slowed considerably. Shifting my head slightly, I look up to see Dark's resting face. His eyes are closed and he looks much more relaxed than usual.

I've never seen Dark sleep before – frankly, I didn't know he did sleep – but his relaxed expression is much different than his usual stern facade. Dark still appears serious, but he looks almost peaceful. His arms are still wrapped firmly around my waist, so any movement would undoubtedly wake him. So, instead of moving, I lay back on his chest, close my eyes, and begin to breathe deeply. Soon, I find myself dozing off with him.

My dreams are full of comforting nonsense. Black serenity encompasses me, and the refreshing darkness is wonderful.

When I wake up about an two and a half hours later, Dark's still holding me. However, we're not in the living room, anymore. The demon has propped himself up against the headboard of my bed and I'm laying in virtually the same position, only slightly on my side. With my ear on his chest I can hear his breathing, but there's a lack of a heartbeat.

As I shift with lucidity, Dark's arms tighten around me. As I look up into his black eyes, I can tell that he's been staring at me for a while.

I raise my eyebrows. "Hey."

"Greetings."

"Can I get up now?"

"Aw... I'm so comfortable," he mock whines.

"I've been like this for almost four hours. I think you've had your daily dose of refusing to give me personal space," I protest.

Dark's arms reluctantly give as I push myself into a sitting position. I swing my legs off of the side of my bed and stretch, invigorated from the deep slumber.

"Thanks for not giving me any nightmares," I say without turning as I exit the room.

In the kitchen, I grab an apple and stare out the window from the kitchen. It's odd how just a week ago, I think, I would've shuddered at the thought of him just touching me – I stabbed him for it, once. Now look at us. I was so comfortable I just fell asleep in his arms.

I ponder our peculiar relationship carefully. How do I feel about him? It's almost like we're friends, now. I'm fine with him being around the house all the time, and I still enjoy his company. Sure, he's kinda bossy sometimes, but that's just because I'm technically inferior to him. He's got incredible power over me – I'm surprised he doesn't use it as much, anymore. Fewer nightmares, enjoyable murder, regular conversations... we've grown pretty close, I guess.

With a surprised blink, I halt my train of thought. What am I saying? He's only using you, [Y/N], you have to remember that. Jesus, when did I let my guard down? I'm fucking slipping.

A stern expression crosses my face.

Once he gets what he wants, he'll leave you alone... or kill you, most likely. It's only a matter of time.

For some reason, the thought of Dark leaving me makes my chest tighten with unpleasant anticipation. My eyes drop from the window to the counter. Suddenly, I look down and realize that my hand's dripping with a sticky, semi-clear fluid. I'd crushed the uneaten apple in my fist without noticing. After tossing the apple, I head to the bathroom to wash my hands. As the cool water streams over my hands, I attempt to force my sadness aside.

Why am I so worked up over this? I've known it from the beginning. Hell, I used to be excited about it.

Still, the idea of Dark leaving for good dampens my mood. Shaking my head, I ignore the emotion.

I move back to the kitchen, but my appetite's nearly gone. For the sake of self preservation, I still take another apple to eat. Dark left the house, I can feel the absence of his cold presence. That leaves me to think about my tangled mindset.

What is happening?

I hope you enjoyed this chapter of "I'm Here to Help You" as much as I enjoyed writing it. Comments and votes are super appreciated. Thanks for reading! ~Blue